In a surprising turn of events in the UEFA Champions League, Real Madrid had to accept a 0-1 defeat to Lille in France in the early morning of October 3, 2024. This result not only ended Los Blancos’ 36-match unbeaten streak in all competitions but also ended many other impressive records of the Spanish Royal team.
Real Madrid‘s impressive unbeaten streak began after a 4-2 loss to Atletico Madrid in the Copa del Rey in January 2024. Since then, coach Carlo Ancelotti’s team has gone 36 matches without a defeat, including important victories in the Champions League such as the second leg of the quarter-final against Manchester City at the Etihad, the comeback victory in the semi-final against Bayern Munich at the Santiago Bernabeu and the Champions League final against Borussia Dortmund.
Notably, Real Madrid also ended a 14-match unbeaten run in the Champions League, a feat they had built since the start of the 2023-24 season. The streak began with a spectacular victory over Union Berlin, with a late goal from Jude Bellingham. During this period, Real Madrid won all their group stage matches, defeating strong opponents such as Napoli and Braga.
In addition, “talisman” Aurelien Tchouameni is no longer effective. Before the match against Lille, Real Madrid had gone 40 consecutive unbeaten matches every time the French midfielder started since the start of the 2023/24 season.
The match against Lille did not go as expected for Real Madrid. In the 45th minute, midfielder Eduardo Camavinga committed a handball in the penalty area, leading to a penalty for the home team. Canadian striker Jonathan David successfully executed the move, putting the ball into the net of goalkeeper Andriy Lunin, who was replacing the injured Thibaut Courtois.
Traveling to France, coach Ancelotti decided to give the young prodigy Endrick a chance to start from the beginning, alongside Vinicius. While both Mbappe and Rodrygo sat on the bench.
With a higher level, Real Madrid, although not really dominating the game, always knew how to create dangerous opportunities towards Lille’s goal.
After Vinicius and Bellingham threatened, it was Endrick’s turn to make a solo run of more than 30m into the penalty area. However, the final kick with his left foot hit goalkeeper Chevalier.
The French team responded with two consecutive close-range shots by Jonathan David. Luckily for Real Madrid, Lunin made two miraculous saves.
At the end of the first half, Camavinga let the ball bounce off his hand in the penalty area. After consulting VAR, the referee awarded the home team a penalty. From 11m away, David easily opened the scoring for Lille.
Coach Ancelotti tried to turn the situation around by bringing on Kylian Mbappe from the bench in the 57th minute. However, the 25-year-old striker, who had just returned from a back injury, could not make a breakthrough. Real Madrid could only put pressure on in the final minutes of the match, but Jude Bellingham, Vinicius Junior and Arda Guler all missed regrettable chances.
This defeat marked the first time since 2016 that Real Madrid have failed to win in three consecutive away matches in the Champions League. Meanwhile, Lille’s 23-year-old goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier had a memorable match with six excellent saves, contributing significantly to the French team’s unexpected victory.
The defeat against Lille was also a shock to many people, because according to the Opta power index, the French team is only ranked 37th in the world, even behind Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal. Meanwhile, Real Madrid is ranked second in the world, just behind Manchester City.
On the other hand, the French representative still has impressive attacks, especially on the right wing. Zhegrova almost doubled the gap with a long-range cannon shot.
Since Mbappe appeared on the field, the Royal team’s attack has not been very bright. The only clear opportunity came from a set piece, Cajvajal’s header missed the post.
As time passed, the white shirts showed impatience. They continuously stuffed the ball into the penalty area, but both Rudiger and Guler could not defeat goalkeeper Chevalier.
However, this defeat can be seen as a warning for Real Madrid. Los Blancos are still having a successful season and are still among the top candidates for the Champions League title. With a quality squad and a wealth of experience, it would be no surprise if they quickly regained their form and started a new unbeaten streak.
The defeat to Lille ended many impressive records for Real Madrid, including a 36-match unbeaten streak in all competitions, 14 unbeaten matches in the Champions League and 40 unbeaten matches every time Tchouameni started. However, this could be an opportunity for coach Ancelotti’s team to reassess and come back stronger in the upcoming matches.
Unable to score, Real Madrid had to accept a humiliating defeat in France.
